As we approach the end of the year, here’s a look at our most popular retail systems articles during 2023, including Gorillas, The Trade Desk, Samsung UK, Amazon Fresh, H-E-B, AutoStore, and the RTIH Innovation Awards.
2023 RTIH Innovation Awards winners announced during glittering ceremony in central London
Last month, we announced the winning submissions for the 2023 RTIH Innovation Awards, sponsored by PMC, FreedomPay, Worldpay from FIS, CADS, 3D Cloud by Marxent, Goodays, and Vista Technology Support.
Our winners were revealed during an event which took place at the Barbican Centre in central London and included a drinks reception in the stunning Conservatory, followed by a Christmas themed three course meal, and awards presentation in the Garden Room.
Scott Thompson, Founder and Editor, RTIH, says: “Since we launched the awards in 2019, they have gone from strength to strength and holding them at the Barbican Centre, a much loved, internationally acclaimed venue, is going to be a tough one to top.”
“Thanks to all those who entered the 2023 awards, many of whom were at our event last night. We received a record number of submissions this year and many fantastic examples of the continued resilience and dynamism of the retail space during hugely challengng times.”
“Congratulations to our 2023 winners and highly commended submissions.”
“To quote a member of our judging panel: “What a year, these awards are really going from strength to strength. There were many categories in there that were so difficult to call. Very worthy entries and winners.”
Further information on all our 2023 entries can be found here.
2023 RTIH Innovation Awards winners announced during glittering ceremony in central London last night. Congrats to our winners including @BarronMcCann @Red_Ant @YOOBIC @ZigZagGlobal @Goodays_UK @_OneStock @hyperfinity @Attensi @PTC @ConferWith @Nextail_co https://t.co/n5hESyCrl6
— Retail Technology Innovation Hub (@RTIH_RetailTech) November 30, 2023
Too fast, too furious: The story of Gorillas exposes brutal truth of rapid grocery delivery industry
A new movie covers the rise and fall of rapid delivery firm Gorillas, which last year was acquired by fellow quick commerce player Getir.
And it exposes the brutal truth of an industry that promised much but ultimately failed to deliver the goods.
“I am grateful to have been asked to be a speaker in the movie. It is the story of the rapid grocery delivery company Gorillas founded by Kağan Sümer,” Brittain Ladd, a supply chain consultant and former Amazon analyst, said in a LinkedIn post.
“Nearly 30 hours of video was taped for the movie. Unfortunately, the video of me speaking very highly of Sümer and the entire team at Gorillas wasn’t included in the final version.”
“On the record, I have always liked Sümer and I continue to like and respect him. I absolutely love what he created with Gorillas. It is one of the coolest companies ever founded.”
Aldi UK checkout-free store at centre of cash row as Piers Corbyn pays for strawberries with coins
In early 2022, discount retailer Aldi UK launched its first autonomous store.
Situated on Greenwich High Street in London, it enables customers to complete their shop without scanning a single product, or having to go through a checkout.
They can download the Aldi Shop&Go app, which will allow them to enter the store, pick up their items, and then walk out when they have completed their shop.
Once a customer leaves, they will then be automatically charged via their selected payment method and a receipt will appear in the app.
The system, provided by AiFi, uses specially positioned cameras.
Those people wishing to buy alcohol, or other Challenge 25 products, are able to use facial age estimation technology, provided by Yoti, to authorise their purchase.
Giles Hurley, CEO at Aldi UK and Ireland, said at the time of the opening: “Today is the culmination of months of work, not least from the team here in Greenwich and I’m looking forward to seeing how customers react to our trial.”
“This store utilises the very latest in retail technology offering Aldi’s award winning products and unbeatable prices to customers in a new and innovative way. The team are really excited about seeing customers come in and experience Aldi Shop&Go.”
Fast forward to 2023 and the store was targeted by Piers Corbyn, brother of former Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn, and also a climate change denier, anti-vaccine activist, and conspiracy theorist.
In a video posted on social media, Corbyn could be seen holding a box of strawberries and putting down cash on a help table.
Piers Corbyn and team at Aldi APP ONLY store Greenwich Thurs 27 July. Piers gained entry. Chose a Box of strawberries 🍓 and put down CASH Payment on the HELP TABLE while the security said he wasn’t allowed to pay by cash. And then left the shop advising the staff to call the… pic.twitter.com/oVjSKBKu21
— Stan Voice of Wales (@StanVoWales) July 31, 2023
Carrefour notches up a first as data and innovation teams explore ChatGPT and generative AI use cases
Carrefour has produced its first ever video made with ChatGPT and generative AI.
The retailer’s avatar answers a common question from its customers: “how to eat better and cheaper via its website”.
In a LInkedIn post, Elodie Perthuisot, Chief E Commerce, Digital Transformation and Data Officer & EXCOM member at Carrefour, said: “For us, artificial intelligence is very concrete: personalisation of purchases, optimisation of assortments, reduction of waste…we are exploring the different uses, at the service of our customers.”
“So, of course, our data and innovation teams are currently working on the use cases of ChatGPT, and generative AI in general. We explore them always keeping our customers as a compass and how to better serve them. To be continued…”
Check out the video here.
Drum roll, please. RTIH publishes its 2023 Top 100 Retail Technology Influencers List
The latest edition of the RTIH Top 100 Retail Technology Influencers List has arrived!
Here are the people who made a splash in 2022 and are set for a barnstorming 2023.
RTIH has scoured the retail technology world to find the most influential figures for this comprehensive list of people and trends that shape the industry and help drive it forward.
We’re living in unprecedented times.
The Covid-19 outbreak has driven a seismic change in shopping habits, with checkout free stores, automation in the supply chain, rapid delivery services, and the metaverse making waves.
Such disruption requires new ways of problem solving and thought leaders who can both evangelise and execute on the likes of digital transformation and omnichannel success.
Which is where the RTIH Top 100 Retail Technology Influencers List comes in, presented, we should stress, in no particular order.
We hope you enjoy reading through it and, as always, if you would like to give feedback or believe that there are some glaring omissions, please feel free to get in touch here.
Download the list in pdf format here.
Or read via Issuu.
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Samsung UK plugs new Galaxy S23 phone series with immersive pop-up roadshow
Samsung has launched an interactive and immersive pop-up roadshow in the UK, starting in Oxford, to highlight the ‘nightography’ camera and gaming capabilities of its new Galaxy S23 series.
The concept was created, designed and built by Outform.
Visitors were able to check-in to the experience by scanning a QR code through Outform’s PodDrop product, which entered them into a competition to win a new Galaxy S23.
The space then included a selfie booth with colour changing LEDs so that visitors could see the camera’s consistent quality in different light settings.
Photos could then be shared digitally whilst they received an instant print to take away, both of which were watermarked with the Galaxy S23 series name and Samsung branding.
Guests were also able to use the Galaxy S23 as a controller so that they could play the various games available on the device through Samsung’s 55” Odyssey Ark Gaming Monitor, giving them the opportunity to play on a bigger screen, entirely powered by the Galaxy S23 device.
In addition, visitors could explore Samsung Galaxy’s ecosystem of products through real-life demos supported by interactive screens to tell the brand story.
The pop-up then travelled to six other high streets and universities across Brierley Hill, Nottingham, Manchester, Cardiff, Southampton and Reading.
The Trade Desk partners with Ocado on ‘new approach to retail media on the open internet’
Advertising technology firm The Trade Desk has announced a partnership with online grocery big hitter Ocado Retail.
The pair claim that, as a result, Ocado is the first grocer in the UK to give direct access to its customer behaviour data, allowing marketers to optimise their audiences and attribute campaigns through The Trade Desk.
Ocado will provide advertisers with access to consented shopper data and insights.
Ocado suppliers and The Trade Desk’s clients will be able to leverage the pureplay’s first-party audiences to reach in-market shoppers and drive key marketing objectives, such as customer acquisition to build brand loyalty over time.
Furthermore, targeted campaigns can be optimised using Ocado data to close the loop between advertising spend and sales.
RTIH takes the wraps off its first ever Retail Technology Innovations Report. Download it today!
RTIH is pleased to announce the launch of its first ever Retail Technology Innovations Report, sponsored by Metapack.
Available for download here, free of charge, this highlights the top 50 retail tech plays of 2022 as decided by our Editor, Scott Thompson, and an independent advisory panel.
Amazon Fresh UK pulls plug on Just Walk Out technology powered Dalston, London store
Amazon Fresh UK closed its Dalston, London location, less than 18 months after opening it in a blaze of autonomous retail glory.
Its first UK checkout-free store arrived in March 2021, in Ealing, west London.
It then quickly opened another 18, predominantly in the capital, and said lots more (100 or so) were in the pipeline.
H-E-B taps AutoStore tech for ‘world’s most sophisticated and advanced grocery store’
In a LinkedIn post, Ladd said: “I can state with no hesitation that the installed MFC is the most incredible AutoStore MFC I’ve ever seen.”
“H-E-B can legitimately claim to operate the most sophisticated and advanced grocery store in the world. Carrefour, Tesco, Majid Al Futtaim, Hy-Vee., and Amazon, need to pay close attention to what HEB is doing; especially Hy-Vee and Amazon.”
He continued: “What’s amazing about the MFC is the sheer size of it when compared to an average MFC.”
“In addition, I am impressed by the fact that an additional MFC was built inside a cold room adjacent to the ambient temperature MFC. Note: I am not providing operational details about the MFC as that information is proprietary to H-E-B.”
“I must recognise Swisslog, the system integrator that installed the AutoStore MFC. Swisslog is arguably the best system integrator in the world.”
“Congratulations are also warranted for AutoStore. I have stated many times that the three best micro fulfilment companies in the world are Alert Innovation, AutoStore and Attabotics. I rank Attabotics at the top of the list for having the most advanced system.”
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